Women everywhere dream of being royal, of living a life of luxury. For this reason, many people chose to imitate the world’s most stylish woman: Lady Diana. Many would assume that she had a perfect life, that she was happy with the cards she was dealt. Why would they not? She did, after all, have the experience of being a Princess, of living every girl’s fantasy. Princess Diana appeared to lead a life of bliss; however, with a closer look into her adolescence, adulthood, and untimely death, it becomes clear that she did not. Diana Frances Spencer was born late in the evening of July 1, 1961. She weighed seven pounds and twelve ounces (royal.gov).Growing up, she was like any other child. She had a traditional country upbringing and enjoyed playing hide-and-seek, building tree dens, and taking strolls in the woods (Seward 41). She truly was a happy child; however, like many other things, it did not last. Her childhood ended early and in a rather heartbreaking manner. Her mother had fallen in love with another man, Peter Shand Kydd; therefore, she left her husband. Upon leaving, she took her two youngest children. Lord Althorp, her father, was absolutely devastated. Due to this, he took her to court, resulting in a messy custody battle. In the end, he won custody of all of his children. As for Diana’s mother, she was branded an adulteress and was perceived as deserting a young family.The effects it had on Diana was monumental. She went from being a happy, carefree kid to having a nervous blush and always looking down (Seward 45). It took time before she could even build a bond with her father. She later revealed that she could still remember the crunch of her mother’s footsteps as she left (Biographyonline). Lady Diana never got ... ... middle of paper ... ... (BBC). Her Mercedes car apparently was pursued at high speed by photographers. In the midst of the chaos the car struck a pillar and crashed into a wall (BBC). Hundreds of mourners gathered at the gate of Kensington Palace, her summer home, and presented flowers at the gate (BBC). The tragic accident not only claimed the life of a public figure, but that of a mother. From being Lady Diana Spencer, to becoming the Princess of Wales, Diana’s life seemed to be an extraordinary one. With the demise of both her parents’ marriage and her own, her life was nothing short of blissless. Growing up is a difficult process for anyone, but Diana never truly got the luxury of it. Her life was ended in its prime. She was taken away from her children and the people who looked up to her. So, if her life was to be considered a fairytale, evidence can prove that it certainly was not.
The woman society wants and idolizes cannot exist because it is impossible to remain true to oneself and one's personal goals completely, while still maintaining a relationship and the responsibilities of royalty. Society is not merely receiving this paradox, but perpetuating and encouraging it by turning a blind eye to something they do not want to see. This unrealistic, unattainable fantasy has become the goal of this modern feminist generation, and Poniewozik highlighted how this new tale has distracted from the true telling and story. Cinderella was simply a woman who just wanted to go to ball, and now she has become someone who is independent and driven, but still falls in love and learns to accept the fact that she is a princess. A woman who doesn't change who she is, but then changes titles and falls in love doesn’t exist, she is a
Princess Diana of Wales was a very influential person, whom when she died left behind a legacy. Diana, a role model to many people across the world set a pristine example to all who followed her. Throughout her life, Diana went through many ups and downs, from her fairytale wedding to her lifelong battle with bulimia, and the struggles in her marriage. In contrast to societies idea, of the extraordinary life of a princess, Princess Diana of Wales encountered many obstacles throughout her lifetime.
Margaretta Large Fitler came from one of the richest families in the nation, attaining their eight million inheritance from rope-making. It was a “blue-nosed society that advised a girl to get her name in the papers only four times: when you are born, when you make your debut, when you are married, and when you die” (N. pag.). Even when Happy was taken in as blissful and was never seen without a smile on her face there always seemed to be an unspoken sadness that weighted her quiet disposition heavily. Perhaps this came from her mother and father separating when she was only ten, or it could be because her mother being the extremely self-centered woman that she ha...
When one thinks of becoming a princess or even royalty, the idea of the magical childhood, fantasy wedding and perfect marriage, seems to accompany the indication of a royal, but yet this was not the case for Diana. Ever since she was eight, her parents had been divorced and little Diana just “longed for the love of a united home” (Wright). Her school grades were not up to par, “an academically below-average student” (Princess Diana Biography Biography) and her family life was in shackles, so later becoming a princess and huge icon was such a powerful message for those with rough starts; this was not the first stereotype she would break. From straightforwardly addressing tough, international medical issues to her torn personal life, the people sympathized with her, because she was such real, true and honest princess. When Diana entered into the public view by her marriage to Charles, her life appeared to be perfect especially when followed by two, healthy sons, William and Harry, but...
Shock waves went around the world when news spread that the ‘people’s princess’, Princess Diana of Wales had died. On August 31st, 1997, she was involved in a car crash and sustained serious injuries, passing away four hours after the collision. Official investigators concluded that it was an accident, caused by the driver’s alcohol levels, and pursuing paparazzi. In comparison, a conspiracy theory suggests that the crash was orchestrated by the British Secret Service, as ordered by the Monarchy.
As a young child, she had it rough. Her mother raised her as her ugly duckling which I find very strange. I can not imagine being told I was ugly by my own mother and can not even fathom that leading to a life of beauty and in fashion none the less. When her family settled in New York, Diana was about ten years old and was enrolled in Brearly school where she did not last long. Not being able to speak English made it a very lonely and difficult place. After...
Diana, the youngest in her family of four, remained close to the Royal Family of Britain even at a young age. She may not of been royalty in her younger years, but she came from a wealthy family; “Born Diana Spencer on July 1, 1961, Princess Diana became Lady Diana Spencer after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975” (“Princess”). Diana had a noble birth because she came from such an aristocratic background. Diana became a public icon and the press, along with her people, loved her. In Diana’s childhood her mother and father divorced, her father won the custody battle of all four children. Not until later did Diana go on to marry Prince Charles, the ceremony took place on July 29,
Early on the reader is aware that Mary Katherine thoughts are unusual and eccentric for a girl her age. Mary Katherine was brought up as upper class in a small village, living with her family until their sudden death. With only her Uncle and
Even twenty years after her death, the world continues to remember the princess who perpetually remembered them. Princess Diana lived as one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. She devoted her life in the spotlight to bring recognition to causes that she felt others should care about, such as AIDS, homelessness, leprosy, and landmine removal. Diana believed that love and kindness served as the remedy for any sort of suffering. She once stated in an interview with BBC journalist, Martin Bashir, “I think the biggest disease this world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month—I’m very happy to do that and I want to do that” (Roisin Kelly). While the matter remains certain that people were initially starstruck having a princess in their midst, it is undoubtedly Diana’s kindness that attracted and continued to attract beings to her presence. She held the hands of those deemed unsafe to touch and broke down stigmas in the process. Diana became a hero for those who had no one to speak up for them, or the trials they endured, through simple acts of kindness, such as a warm smile or a gentle handshake. While Diana aided those around her, she herself desperately craved love and kindness, as discussed in the following quote from the New York Times’ Article, “Diana in Search of Herself”. “Indeed, Diana's unstable temperament bore all the markings of one of the most elusive psychological disorders: the borderline personality. This condition is characterized by an unstable self-image; sharp mood swings; fear of rejection and abandonment; an inability to sustain relationships; persistent feelings of loneliness, boredom, and emptiness; depression; and impulsive behavior such as binge eating and
Fairy tales have been known to identify different aspects of life such as modern issues and concerns without having to directly point them out. In Anne Sexton’s poem, her version of “Cinderella”, modern issues and concerns are discussed through the lens of the fairytale. She touches on aspects of marriage such as wealth and possessiveness of money by discussing how most of the women in fairytales want to marry into wealthy families. Sexton also discusses how fitting into society’s complex standards is another modern issue by showing that in order for Cinderella to go out in public, she feels as if she needs to dress according to the way society dresses. Furthermore, many women in society today admire models and actresses because they
FIRST: Let me first begin by telling you about Princess Diana’s life. In a book by Andrew Morton titled “Diana: Her True Story In Her Own Words” published by Simon and Shuster, Morton talks into great detail about Diana’s life. He says that Diana, Princess of Wales, was born Diana Frances Spencer on July 1st, 1961. Her parents divorced at a young age, leaving her and her siblings in a bitter custody battle. When her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer, she became Lady Diana Spencer. After she finished with school, she worked as a nanny and a kindergarten teacher. She had a passion for taking care of children. She grew up knowing the Royal family quite well. Princess Diana’s younger brother is the Queen’s godson. Morton also talks about Princess Diana’s relationship with Prince Charles. Although their families had known each other for a long time, Prince Charles of Wales and Lady Diana met again at a party in 1977. In F...
Princess Diana was born into a royal family and had a rather tough time growing up. She was the youngest daughter of Edward Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and, Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp. During her parents' bitter divorce over Diana’s mother’s adultery with wallpaper successor Peter Kydd, Diana's mother sued for custody of her children. Diana went into many battles with her mother over this which led Diana to dislike her mother. Diana’s father’s rank was supported by Diana’s grandmother, on her mother’s side, in which her testimony against her daughter during the trial, meant custody of Diana and her brother went to their father.
...g as an ambassador for England, Diana desperately sought out peace for herself and others throughout the course of her life, which in my opinion has earned her the permanent title as “the people’s princess.”
Throughout her life Diana displayed a very insecure nature. Psychologists think this was rooted in her childhood (Smith). When she was six, her mom left her family (Smith). After her parent’s high-profile divorce was finalized, she remembered her father’s distant, lonely silences, and her mother’s constant crying (Morton 35). Diana described this as a “wish-washy and painful experience” (33). Due to these circumstances she felt detached and different from others at a very young age (34). For Diana’s engagement party to the Prince of Wales, she wore a black dress that she thought was “pretty and smart” (51-52). When Prince Charles saw her, he said with disgust, “only people in mourning wear black” (170-171). She was destroyed by this comment. She needed people’s constant support and compliments (170). Later in her marriage, her husband’s lack of attention led her to suffer from bulimia and to make several suicide attempts (85-86). Once, when she was attempting to gain Prince Charles’ attention, she took a penknife and cut her chest and thighs (77). Seeing the bloody sight he said, “You are crying wolf.” This comment added to her negative self-esteem (188). The constant press coverage put her under lots of pressure. “It warped her sense of who she was through its unrealistic expectations, distortions, exaggerations and outright inventions” (Smith). It made her believe she had to live up to the impossible expectations that were being forced on her (Smith). Diana was easily influenced and very sensitive. She let other people’s views of her and life’s uncontrollable circumstances affect her self-image.
We trace her struggles with personal grief, a restricted social life, socio-economic decline, and romantic misfortune, a long history of trauma and repression.”(445)